Cranial nerves: These are so called because they emerge through the foramina or fissures in the cranium and are covered by tubular sheaths derived from the cranial meninges.

The cranial nerves are bundles or sensory (or) motor fibers that inervate muscles (or) glands, carry impulses from sensory receptors, (or) show a combination of both motor and sensory functions.

The 12 cranial nervers:

1. Olfactory Nerve
2. Optic Nerve
3. Oculomotor Nerve
4. Trochlear Nerve
5. Trigeminal Nerve
6. Abducent Nerve
7. Facial Nerve
8. Vestibulocochlear Nerve
9. Glossopharyngeal Nerve
10. Vagus Nerve
11. Spinal Accessory Nerve
12. Hypoglossal Nerve

Remembering these cranial nerves is a must for any medical/dental student, and that too in order is a must, and knowing them in detail is also necessary so i am going to describe the functions of each of these nerves in detai in my future posts.